Learn how to use GQL, a language that queries Lighthouse data, to optimize your SEO strategy in six steps with BigQuery and visualization tools.

As per my SEO Experience, ☀️Run Lighthouse. ... ☀️ Set up a BigQuery ☀️ Upload your Lighthouse data to BigQuery. ... ☀️ Write and run GQL queries ☀️ Optimize your SEO strategy based on your GQL insights.

Last updated on Aug 8, 2024

How do you use GQL to optimize your SEO strategy?

If you want to improve your SEO strategy, you need to understand how your website performs on different metrics, such as speed, accessibility, and usability. One way to do that is to use Google's Lighthouse tool, which generates a report with scores and recommendations for each category. But how do you access and analyze the data from Lighthouse in a scalable and efficient way? That's where GQL comes in. GQL, or Google Query Language, is a language that allows you to query the Lighthouse data and extract the insights you need. In this article, we'll show you how to use GQL to optimize your SEO strategy in six steps.

1 Step 1: Install and run Lighthouse

The first step is to install and run Lighthouse on your website. You can do this either as a Chrome extension, a command-line tool, or a Node module. Lighthouse will scan your website and generate a JSON file with the results. You can also view the report in a web interface or export it as HTML or CSV.

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Swapnil Dixit 🇮🇳

SEO Specialist | Solving Complex Ranking Challenges | 400+ Keywords Ranked | Technical SEO |SERP Ranking | SaaS & Ecommerce SEO | Core Web Vital Optimization | GA4 & GTM | GreyHat SEO | Reporting
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As per my SEO Experience, ☀️Run Lighthouse. ... ☀️ Set up a BigQuery ☀️ Upload your Lighthouse data to BigQuery. ... ☀️ Write and run GQL queries ☀️ Optimize your SEO strategy based on your GQL insights.

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Hitesh Allam

Software Engineer at Verizon
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To optimize SEO using GraphQL, start by running Lighthouse to identify performance issues. GraphQL helps reduce page load times by fetching only the necessary data, improving Core Web Vitals. Use it for dynamic content rendering with SSR or ISR to ensure fast, up-to-date pages. Generate structured data with GraphQL to boost search engine visibility. Optimize API calls with batching and caching to enhance performance. Focus on mobile performance, dynamic meta tags, and lazy loading to serve content efficiently across devices. Regular Lighthouse audits and integrating these optimizations into your CI/CD pipeline will ensure your site remains fast and user-friendly.

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2 Step 2: Set up a BigQuery project

The next step is to set up a BigQuery project, which is a cloud-based data warehouse that can store and query large amounts of data. You'll need a Google Cloud account and a billing account to create a project. You can also use the free tier of BigQuery, which offers 10 GB of storage and 1 TB of queries per month. Once you have a project, you can create a dataset and a table to store your Lighthouse data.

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Hitesh Allam

Software Engineer at Verizon
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Using GraphQL for your SEO strategy can significantly improve site performance and search rankings. By fetching only the data you need, GraphQL reduces page load times, which boosts Core Web Vitals—an important factor in SEO. It also helps you keep content fresh and consistent, which search engines favor, and makes it easier to manage SEO-related metadata. Pairing this with BigQuery allows you to analyze large datasets, like Lighthouse performance data, to identify patterns and optimize site performance. Automating data ingestion and using predictive models in BigQuery can help you proactively improve your site’s SEO, ensuring you stay ahead of any potential issues and continuously enhance your search visibility.

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3 Step 3: Upload your Lighthouse data to BigQuery

The third step is to upload your Lighthouse data to BigQuery. You can do this either manually or programmatically. To upload manually, you can use the web interface or the command-line tool to load your JSON file into your table. To upload programmatically, you can use the Node module or the API to send your data to BigQuery. You can also set up a cron job or a cloud function to automate the process and upload your data regularly.

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Hitesh Allam

Software Engineer at Verizon
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Integrating GraphQL with Lighthouse and BigQuery optimizes your SEO strategy by efficiently managing and querying performance data. Run Lighthouse audits to gather key metrics, then store this data in BigQuery. Use GraphQL to create tailored queries that focus on essential SEO metrics and combine data from various sources for a comprehensive view. Automate data uploads with scripts or cloud functions to keep information current. With this setup, you can easily identify performance issues, track SEO improvements, and visualize trends, enabling data-driven decisions to enhance your site’s performance and search rankings.

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4 Step 4: Write and run GQL queries

The fourth step is to write and run GQL queries to analyze your Lighthouse data. GQL is a dialect of SQL that supports standard SQL functions and operators, as well as some specific features for BigQuery, such as nested and repeated fields, array functions, and user-defined functions. You can use the web interface or the command-line tool to write and run GQL queries. You can also use the API or the Node module to execute queries programmatically.

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5 Step 5: Visualize and explore your GQL results

The fifth step is to visualize and explore your GQL results. You can do this either in the web interface or in external tools. In the web interface, you can view your results in a table, a chart, or a map. You can also export your results as JSON, CSV, or Google Sheets. In external tools, you can use Google Data Studio, Google Sheets, or other visualization tools to connect to BigQuery and create dashboards and reports with your GQL results.

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6 Step 6: Optimize your SEO strategy based on your GQL insights

The final step is to optimize your SEO strategy based on your GQL insights. You can use GQL to identify and prioritize the areas of improvement for your website, such as performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO. You can also use GQL to compare your website with your competitors, track your progress over time, and measure the impact of your changes. By using GQL, you can leverage the power of BigQuery and Lighthouse to optimize your SEO strategy and achieve your goals.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you use GQL to optimize your SEO strategy?

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1 Step 1: Install and run Lighthouse

2 Step 2: Set up a BigQuery project

3 Step 3: Upload your Lighthouse data to BigQuery

4 Step 4: Write and run GQL queries

5 Step 5: Visualize and explore your GQL results

6 Step 6: Optimize your SEO strategy based on your GQL insights

7 Here’s what else to consider

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